A Question About Predestination

In Ephesians 1:5 Paul writes, “Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Now I understand that every time we see predestined in the scriptures, it is talking about foreknowing. So, this means God knew us before we were born and knew how we would respond to His plan of salvation. I understand that God did not create us to accept, nor did He create some not to accept, He just knew who would accept. My question is, knowing who would accept and who wouldn’t, why did he create those that He knew wouldn’t?

A

Technically predestination is the result of foreknowing (Romans 8:29) but I think you have the right idea.

The fact that God knows our choices doesn’t mean that He interferes with them. He created us with agency, the right to make our own choices, even if they’re wrong. Having a little agency is like being a little pregnant. It’s impossible. We either have the right to choose or we don’t.

God doesn’t want any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and goes to extremes for every one of us to create situations where we can choose Him. But He can not, He will not, make our choices for us. Refusing to create those who will make the wrong choice would be a violation of their agency from His perspective, because even though they would never exist, He would know that they could have.

About Grace thru Faith

Jack Kelley published over 9,000 Bible Study resources here from 1999, until the Lord called him home in the fall of 2015. His teachings made the Bible clear and easy to understand, and impacted millions of lives. He is the author of all the teachings here, and all materials are available free of charge! His wife Samantha maintains this site as well as their missionary outreaches.